1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic key device for a vehicle, and to a starting control method for a vehicle, which perform ID verification, in order to perform door unlocking and vehicle starting, by performing wireless communication between an electronic key which is carried by the driver and a vehicle mounted device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a per se known type of electronic key device for a vehicle in which, when an engine starting knob (hereinafter termed an “ignition knob”) is actuated by being pressed in, an electronic key's ID is verified by performing wireless communication between a vehicle mounted device which is provided to the vehicle and an electronic key which is carried by the driver, and the locking of the ignition knob is released based upon the result of this ID verification (see “March New Model Description” of February 2002 by Nissan Motors). After the locking of the ignition knob has been released, engine starting is enabled by it now being made possible to rotate the ignition knob from the lock position to the engine starting position. With this electronic key device for a vehicle, in order to enhance the anti theft characteristic, if the result of ID verification upon actuation of the ignition knob is NG (fail) a certain predetermined number of times in succession (for example five times), then it is arranged for the system subsequently to set a locked mode in which the engine cannot be started unless a predetermined operation is performed.
Furthermore, with an electronic key device for a vehicle, if, for example, after the user of the vehicle has once started the engine, the engine stops in the state in which the ignition knob has not been returned to the locked position from the ON position, and he goes away from the vehicle, since the locking of the ignition knob is in the cancelled state, it becomes possible for a person other than the owner of the vehicle to rotate the ignition knob even if he is not in possession of the electronic key. Accordingly, in order to enhance the anti theft characteristic, ID verification is performed when the ignition knob is rotated to the ON position, and engine starting permission or prohibition is performed based upon the result of this ID verification.